Adjustable condenser



P. J. HOWE.

ADJUSTABLE CONDENSER.

APPLICATION man FEB. 7, 1918.

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NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY P. J. HOWE.

ADJUSTABLE CONDENSER.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 1, 1918.

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A TTORNEY UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL J. HOWE, OF RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN UNION' TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL J. Hows, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Ridgewood, in thecounty of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Condensers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates-to improvements in adjustable condensers, and comprises contact means in combination with condensers of progressively increasing capacity, whereby the several condensers may be placed in circuit singly, or in parallel in their various possible combinations of two, three, four, etc., and thereby a number of progressively changing capacity values may be. obtained, very much greater in number than the number of individual condensers contained in the instrument, and with a total variation of capacity much greater than the range of capacity of the several condensers of the instrument, taken singly; and, furthermore, the various changes of capacity may be obtained by the operation of a single operating member (which usually is rotatable), instead of by operating a large number of contact pegs, as is usually the case.

The object of my invention is to simplify adjustable condensers, to permit the obtaining of a large number of condenser or ca pacity values by means of a relatively small number of condensers and by the operation of a single operating member, and in general to make the device simple, easy to operate, and relatively inexpensive.

I will now proceed to describe my inven-- tion with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of my invention are illustrated,.and will then point out the novel features in claims. In the said drawings 4 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the nature of the contact devices employed and the connections of the indivldual condensers of the instrument to the contact device. I r

Fig. 2 shows a perspective elevation of one of the contact deviceswhich may be employed, and also shows the condensers of the instrument connected to the brushes of that contact device.

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showing an alternative form of contact device.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug Application filed February 7, 1918. Serial .No. 215,937.

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Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a further alternative form device.

Referring first to Fig. 1. Numerals 1 designate a number of toothed contact bars, and 2 designates a brush adapted to travel over the teeth of bars 1, and 3-7 inclusive designate condensers, of progressively increasing capacity, each connected on one side to one of the bars 1, and all connected in parallel to a bus-bar 8, itself connected to a binding post 9. The brush 2 is connected to a companion binding post, 10. The bars 1 are toothed in the well-known manner so as to' provide, by contact of brush 2 with teeth of one, or more or all of said bars, simultaneously, all possible combinations of single or in parallel connections of the condensers 37 taken by twos, threes, fours, etc. to the binding posts.

One set of condensers which has been employed in the-arrangement shown have capacity values of lg, 4 1, and 2 microfarads respectively. But sets of condensers having other rates of progression may be employed, and the rate of progression is not necessarily regular.

The bars 1, shown in Fig. ,1, may be considered to be developments (using that of contact term in its geometric sense) of the various.

'toothed to correspond to the various possible or desirable combinations of the num-. ber of condensers used, may be employed.

In the alternative form of contact device shown in Fig. 2, there are a number of con tact disks 1, .toothed as are the bars 1 of Fig. 1, and a number of corresponding brushes, 2*, each arranged to contact with the teeth of one of the disks 1, and each connected to a corresponding condenser. The disks may be rotated in unison by a head 11. In this Fig.2 arrangement all of the.

disks are in electrical connection, and the several brushes 2* are insulated from one another; an arrangement equivalent to dividing'the brush 2 of Fig. '1 into sections insulated from one another and each connected to one of the condensers of that figure, and connecting all of the bars 1 of that Fig. 1 together; an arrangement which would be the equivalent of, and the reverse of, that shown in Fig. 1.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, there are a number of open-center plates, 1, toothed internally, and insulated from one another, and a corresponding number of brushes, 2 mounted to be rotated together by the head 11 (and which may also be regarded as parts of a single broad brush, since they are all in electrical connection). The teeth of the various plates are arranged to resent the various possible combinations.

:0 the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of toothed cams, 1", mounted to be rotated together by the head 11, operate according to combinations by twos, threes, and fours, and the complete combination of five, brushes 2, moving them into contact with, or permitting them to drop away from contact with, spring contact members -2. From an operating point of view, the cohtact device of Fi 4 offers advantages over those shown in lfiigs. 1, 2 and 3; but functionally, all of the contact devices shown are equivalents of one another.

What ll claim is 1. The combination, with a series of five condensers of progressively varying values, of contact means and a single operating member therefor, said contact means comprising means adapted, under control of said operating member, to connect said condensers singly or in various combinations in parallel of twos, threes, fours, etc., to

' suitable terminals.

2. The combination, with a series of condensers of progressively varying values of at least five in number, of a contact devicel therefor comprising contact means, one for Lemme each condenser, and other contact means ar ranged to make contact with said first-mentioned contact means in various combination of twos, threes, fours, etc., and a single operating member.

8. The combination, with five condensers, of values such that by taking them singly, in order, or in various parallel combinations by twos, threes, fours, etc., a regular progression of capacity values may be ob tained, of suitable terminals and contact means comprising a single operating member together with contact members arranged to connect said condensers to said terminals in various parallel combinations by twos, threes, fours, etc., as well as singly, to give a regular progression of capacity values.

4. The combination, with four or more condensers, of a contact device adapted to connect said condensers, in parallel in various combinations of twos, threes, fours, etc., and comprising a series of pairs of contact members, one pair for each such condenser, one of said contact members of each such pair connected to the corresponding condenser, and a series of toothed cams, one for each such pair of contact members and arranged to cause the said contact members of the corresponding pair to make or break contact with each other, said cams arranged to rotate together and toothed to connect said condensers in parallel in various combinations, of twos, threes, fours, etc.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL J. HOWE.

Witnesses:

H. M. MARBLE, Ernnr. Jonnns. 

